Diff Cover Upgrade vs Diff Skids vs both?

[brewskisteve]

Sounds to me like this is a great opportunity to upgrade to an aftermarket front track bar!

Yeah, but metal cloak said it is the fact that I dont have a lift. I asked about adding their track bar and they said the vehicle needs a lift, or any track bar will have same issue. Thats why I've been looking for another diff cover that won't rub. Still searching

Sponsored

 

[TxJeepers]

Yeah, but metal cloak said it is the fact that I dont have a lift. I asked about adding their track bar and they said the vehicle needs a lift, or any track bar will have same issue. Thats why I've been looking for another diff cover that won't rub. Still searching

I don’t think they can speak about others. Call ARB USA and ask about their OME track bar.

 

[limeade]

Yeah, but metal cloak said it is the fact that I dont have a lift. I asked about adding their track bar and they said the vehicle needs a lift, or any track bar will have same issue. Thats why I've been looking for another diff cover that won't rub. Still searching

Weird, cause their "note" on the front diff cover says it won't work with a stock track bar. Says nothing about needing a lift. Which is why I suggested adding an adj. track bar. But if that's what they said........

 

[Headbarcode]

Haven't run into that but did run into my Steer Smarts track bar hitting my ARB diff cover. I'm lifted with a SteerSmarts track bar. Put on ARB diff covers with regear and it hits. Replacing the SteerSmarts track bar this afternoon with a Metalcloak. An Old Man Emu track bar will also clear ARB diff cover (same company).

Hahaha! I took the same approach. Didn't want to switch out the diff covers (ocd won't allow a mismatch), so I decided to switch out the SteerSmarts front track bar for Metalcloak's.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Weird, cause their "note" on the front diff cover says it won't work with a stock track bar. Says nothing about needing a lift. Which is why I suggested adding an adj. track bar. But if that's what they said........

I pinged Will at Metalcloak about this because I have a MC front and rear differential cover to install next and have already installed a MC trackbar, drag link, and tie-rod. I asked if the front MC differential cover would clear with a MC trackbar on a NON-LIFTED Rubicon and this is what he said:


"From what we are finding it should clear because of where we start the bend. The stock track bar hits about 2-3” before the bump stops even start to engage."

 

[brewskisteve]

Weird, cause their "note" on the front diff cover says it won't work with a stock track bar. Says nothing about needing a lift. Which is why I suggested adding an adj. track bar. But if that's what they said........

I realize that and that is why I asked about adding there track bar to solve the issue, but the guy told me it's the fact that my vehicle wasn't lifted. He said with their track bar installed on my stock JLU it would rub. I have very little knowledge or understanding about lifts, so I follow the professionals opinion and advice

 

[CarbonSteel]

I realize that and that is why I asked about adding there track bar to solve the issue, but the guy told me it's the fact that my vehicle wasn't lifted. He said with their track bar installed on my stock JLU it would rub. I have very little knowledge or understanding about lifts, so I follow the professionals opinion and advice

See my post above with the response from Will @ Metal Cloak...

 

[brewskisteve]

I pinged Will at Metalcloak about this because I have a MC front and rear differential cover to install next and have already installed a MC trackbar, drag link, and tie-rod. I asked if the front MC differential cover would clear with a MC trackbar on a NON-LIFTED Rubicon and this is what he said:


"From what we are finding it should clear because of where we start the bend. The stock track bar hits about 2-3” before the bump stops even start to engage."

Well, I'm just going by what they told me. I asked about getting the their track bar and again he said it wouldn't work due to my stock lift. Two different opinions being offered. I've already sent the parts back and I changed my gear oil front and back yesterday. I don't want to buy a diff cover since I did the oil change, Maybe in another 20K miles I will have a lift? So I'll get a bolt on front diff skid plate for the time being. Thanks for your response and feedback

 

[CarbonSteel]

Well, I'm just going by what they told me. I asked about getting the their track bar and again he said it wouldn't work due to my stock lift. Two different opinions being offered. I've already sent the parts back and I changed my gear oil front and back yesterday. I don't want to buy a diff cover since I did the oil change, Maybe in another 20K miles I will have a lift? So I'll get a bolt on front diff skid plate for the time being. Thanks for your response and feedback

Well...it will not be too much longer before I install my MC diff covers and will be able to say definitively one way or the other.

 

[Headbarcode]

I'm supplementing my ARB rear diff cover with the rear skid plate from Metalcloak. It seems to extend far back enough to work with the thicker covers. I also got the FAD skid.

 

[CarbonSteel]

I'm supplementing my ARB rear diff cover with the rear skid plate from Metalcloak. It seems to extend far back enough to work with the thicker covers. I also got the FAD skid.

It is the front trackbar and diff cover that is in question.

 

[Headbarcode]

It is the front trackbar and diff cover that is in question.

Oh, I'm aware and am also following the hijack.

In my opinion, lifted or not has nothing to do with clearances. If something interferes at stock height, it will just have to travel a bit further for the same hit with a lift. So far, the SteerSmarts front track bar is the only one that doesn't play well with a thicker cover. It was hitting my ARB front cover at the dipstick/fill point. I'm switching the SS for Metalcloak's front track bar, which is advertised as offering the most clearance for up travel, compared to all other bars on the market. Enough to fully clear a Dana 60 axle diff. Here's a couple pics of the SteerSmarts/ARB interference.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Oh, I'm aware and am also following the hijack.

In my opinion, lifted or not has nothing to do with clearances. If something interferes at stock height, it will just have to travel a bit further for the same hit with a lift. So far, the SteerSmarts front track bar is the only one that doesn't play well with a thicker cover. It was hitting my ARB front cover at the dipstick/fill point. I'm switching the SS for Metalcloak's front track bar, which is advertised as offering the most clearance for up travel, compared to all other bars on the market. Enough to fully clear a Dana 60 axle diff. Here's a couple pics of the SteerSmarts/ARB interference.

Ouch - I can see where it hit both of them. I am guessing that is at full or nearly full articulation?

 

[Headbarcode]

Ouch - I can see where it hit both of them. I am guessing that is at full or nearly full articulation?

No, not an issue at full flex in either direction. Only hits when the whole axle compresses at once. Same thing happened to TxJeepers. I responded to his post further up on this page. I found it funny that we both decided on switching the track bar instead of the diff cover, and that we also chose the same replacement.

I've got to go with limeade on this one. A Metalcloak front track bar should clear their diff cover and skid just fine.

 

[CarbonSteel]

No, not an issue at full flex in either direction. Only hits when the whole axle compresses at once. Same thing happened to TxJeepers. I responded to his post further up on this page. I found it funny that we both decided on switching the track bar instead of the diff cover, and that we also chose the same replacement.

I've got to go with limeade on this one. A Metalcloak front track bar should clear their diff cover and skid just fine.

According to Will @ Metal Cloak, it will not be a problem. I reached out to him after reading the OP because I have a MC trackbar and will be installing MC diff covers soon and inquiring minds want to know.

Sponsored